Applebloom and Scootaloo trotted down the walkway toward the cottage where Sweetie Belle called home. The two fillies were carrying small wicker basket by the handles in their mouth which thwarted their efforts to talk much. However they got a chance for a brief conversation when the reached the back door of the cottage.

"Scootaloo. Do ya have any idea why were asked ta bring this weird stuff ta Sweetie's place?"

The pegasi filly stared down at the basket she'd been carrying. " Nope! I was asked to bring a piece of a tree that had been struck by lightning. What were you asked to get Applebloom?"

The earth pony looked down at her basket with a bit more disgust. "Ummmm, Sweetie asked me ta bring a bottle of chicken blood." Scootaloo looked at AB in horror. Applebloom quickly waved a front hoof at her friend.

"No! No! I didn't git the blood mah self! Uh, Granny was the one! We had an old hen who was on her last leg, so um, she took care of it!"

Scootaloo just shook her head and knocked on the door. From within they heard Sweetie's voice. "It's not locked! Come on in!"

The fillies opened the door and stepped into the kitchen of the cottage. As they did Applebloom called out. "Okay Sweetie can ya explain ta us why ya..." Her voice tapered off as she beheld what was before her.

Sweetie Belle was standing before the main island in the kitchen using her levitation to stir a mixture in a mixing bowl with a whisk. Beside her was a large metal pot that a strange symbol had been painted on to it with some thick, blackish liquid. Emerging from said pot was a mass of tentacles. Two of the them had large eyeballs on them, the others were holding a cookbook or instructing the filly. As AB and Scoots got closer they began hear in their heads a voice.
Careful. Gentle. Fold not the egg whites too vigorously! Take your time. Yes. Yes. much better soon we'll be able to add the salts. The special salts. The sacred salts .
"Sweetie Belle what the hay is goin' on and why is it back?" Applebloom pointed a front hoof at the being in the pot.
"His name is Frank." Sweetie Belle said in a rather chipper voice. "He's helping me prepare this dish."
"This wouldn't happen to be the reason why you needed us to get these items for you is it?" Scootaloo looked down at the baskets they'd brought.
"Yep!" The unicorn said.
"What the hay do ya need blood fer when cookin'?!" Exclaimed Applebloom.
Blood is useful thickening agent in many recipes. Frank said in the fillies minds.
"Really?" AB looked suspicious.
Yes. And when we complete the recipe at midnight it'll also help with opening the gate between your world and the Moaning Mountains. Frank continued.
Applebloom frowned and then reached out and grabbed Sweetie Belled mane by the teeth and started dragging her away from the pot and toward the back door while Scootaloo spoke.
"Um, Sweetie can we have a word with you outside. Alone. Uh, Frank we'll be back in a bit!"
This was the first drawing I started during my most recent Picarto stream. The theme was cooking and in the past Sweetie Belle has had problems with cooking and inadvertently conjuring eldritch beings into existence or becoming the focus of their attention.

At some point one of my followers started calling the being Frank and the name stuck in my head. This story I thought of while working on the drawing.